In Germany, found more than a thousand fake sculptures by Giacometti

[SergeiSK]

German police discovered a warehouse of Mainz fake sculptures by Alberto Giacometti, wrote on March 6 the Spanish El Pais. It clarifies the issue and sculptures were found and confiscated in the summer of 2009, but prior to February 2011 no information about it in the press did not appear.
Total stock was found more than a thousand bronze sculptures and plaster casts. According to the Financial Times, alleged fraud were made in China and shipped to Germany through Thailand by sea. On suspicion of involvement in the forgery of works of art detained five people.
The investigation revealed that the head of group fraud was a certain Lothar Wilfried Zenk, who represented the aristocracy, and thus became acquainted with prominent representatives of German art market. Subsequently, he used his connections to sell a fake, claiming that the sculpture came to him from his brother, sculptor Diego Giacometti, who died in 1985.
Experts note that most of the counterfeits were of extremely low quality - many of them were made from photographs of works by Giacometti. Nevertheless, a German couple who bought a sculpture Zenk on the advice of its consultant, has spent nearly four million fake euros. Fakes have also acquired some German auction houses, galleries and museums.
According to preliminary data, in the past six years to gain for fraudsters fake sculptures around 10 million euros . Managed to hold them after they tried to sell 17 sculptures a police spokesman, speaking under the guise of a collector.
In February 2011 three of the five fraudsters were found guilty and sentenced to two years imprisonment each. The verdict against two other defendants in the case, including Zenk, yet pronounced.
(Lenta.Ru)